Blotting appliance



Dec. 17, 1935.

' A. BOYLE BLQTTING APPLIANCE Filed May 28, 1955 Hal.

f I A Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE Application May 28, 1935, Serial No. 23,908 In Great Britain May 26, 1934 7 Claims. (01. 120-26) 7 It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a portable and compact blotting-appliance of small size which can be carried in the pocket or which may be attached by a chain, flexible cord or wire to any writing or stationery appliance, such as a desk, table, inkstand, penstand or the like, or to the Wearing-apparel of the person. g

It is a further object of the present invention to combine a small blotting appliance with a pen, penholder, pen-nib protector, pencil, pencilholder, pencil-point protector or like writing or drawing instrument in such a manner that the blotting appliance will be readily available for use.

The invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing where- Fig. 1 is a sectional view through one form of the improved blotting appliance and Fig.2 is a view with the casing removed and showing the blotting strip unrolled.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a slightly different form of blotting appliance. a

Fig. 4 is a side view illustrating another form of the blotting appliance.

The invention consists in a blotting appliance comprising a strip 5 of blotting paper or other suitable absorbent blotting material which is capable of being rolled up and unwound, one end of the strip 5 being attached at one end to a spindle 6.

The invention also consists in detachably connecting one end of the strip 5 to the spindle 6 so that, after the blotting strip has been unwound for use and has been rewound repeatedly, a fresh blotting strip can be substituted.

The blotting strip may be adapted to coil itself upon the spindle and be adapted to be uncoiled therefrom by pulling upon the outer end of the strip, the action of releasing the end of the strip permitting the strip to again coil itself upon the spindle.

Preferably the blotting strip is superimposed upon the inner face of a coiled backing strip 1, one end of which is attached to the spindle 6 to cause the backing strip tocoil itself upon the spindle and to coil up the blotting strip within the coils of the backing strip, the backing strip with the blotting strip being uncoiled by a pull on the outer end of the backing strip. The blotting strip 5 may be detachably attached to the inner face of the backing strip 1, being 'attached thereto in such a manner as to permit sliding longitudinal movement of the strips relatively to one another during the winding and unwinding of the strips.

The invention further consists in a blotting appliance comprising a hollow casing 8 enclosing a rolled blotting strip 5 mounted upon a holder 5 adapted to be withdrawn through one end of the casing 8 to enable the strip to be withdrawn through one end of the casing for unrolling and re-winding.

The invention also consists in the combination 10 with a pen or pencil of a detachable hollow casing enclosing the rolled blotting strip, the strip being adapted to be unro-lled for use and to be rewound by detaching the casing from the pen or pencil. 7 I

Referring now more particularly to the con structions illustrated in the accompanying drawing and which are given only as examples, Figs.

1 and 2 show the backing strip I secured at one end to a sleeve 9 which fits loosely upon the spindle 6. The inner end of the blotting strip 5 is detachably secured to the sleeve 9 by a longitudinally slotted tube 10 which is fitted over the sleeve 9 to grip the end of the blotting strip 5 between the sleeve 9 and-tube l0. Near the outer end-of the backing strip 1 a clasp l l is secured to the backing strip and embraces the blotting strip 5 near the outer end thereof, the blotting strip being free to slide between the clasp II and the backing strip-1. As shown, the spindle 6 is attachedat one'end to a member I2 and has aknob l3 at its other end. The spindle 6 may be screwthreaded into a screw-threaded hole in the member l2 or it may be fixed thereto or detachable in any other manner. The member l2 forms a detachable end cap for the casing 8-. The member l2 may be attached by a chain, cord or the like to wearing apparel or to any convenient article. Alternatively, the member I2 may be attached to or form part of the barrel of a pen or pencil or of 40 the point protector of a pen or pencil, such being indicated by the dotted lines l5 in Fig. 1.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, one end of the spindle 6 detachably engages the member l2 and the casing is open at both ends and the other end of the spindle 6 carries a knob '15 closing the end of the casing 8, so that the spindle 6 can be withdrawn with the knob l6 through the open end of the casing closed by the knob IE on detaching the spindle 6 from the member l2. For this purpose the knob l6 may be fixed upon the spindle 6 and the latter may screw into the member l2 which may be either fixed to or detachable from the casing 8.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the casing 8 is closed at one end as in Fig. 1, but has a longitudinal slot I! through which the outer ends of the backing strip 1 and blotting strip 5 protrude. The clasp II or an equivalent element acts as a stop to prevent the strips from being wholly withdrawn into the casing. To rewind the strips after they have been drawn out, the member I2 may be rotatable in the end of the casing 8.

It will be apparent that the invention is capable of varied modification according to requirements. may be either an integral part of the shaft or barrel of a pen or pencil or it may be a separate permanently fixed or detachable part thereof; likewise it may be a separate or an integral part of the point protector of a pen or pencil. The outer end of the backing strip 1 may be stiffened to provide a finger grip or it may be fitted with .a grip to enable it to be readily grasped. The said grip may also act as a stop to prevent withdrawal of the end of the strip through the slot I! in Fig. 4. The coiled strips might also be coiled up by means of a spring or springs. A chain, cord or the like might be attached to the casing 8 instead of to the member l2 as indicated in Fig. 1. The blotting strip 5 may be removably clipped or secured at its inner end by means other than the split tube I and the strips and I might be secured direct to the spindle 6 without interposing the sleeve 9. The backing strip 1 may be replaced by or incorporate one or more ribbons or tapes of textile fabric or of spring metal strip or other flexible material.

In the examples shown in the drawing the backing strip 1 is conveniently made of linen cloth or other tough flexible material.

I claim:

.1. A blotting appliance comprising a spindle, a backing strip attached at one of its ends to said spindle and adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said spindle, a strip of blotting paper, and means for detachably attaching said paper strip to the inner face of the backing strip to coil and uncoil therewith.

2. A blotting appliance according to claim 1 wherein the means for attaching the paper strip to the backing strip permits sliding longitudinal movement of the strips relatively to one another during the winding and unwinding.

3. A blotting appliance comprising a spindle,

For example, the end l2 of the casing 8 a backing strip attached at one of its ends to said spindle and adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said spindle, a strip of blotting paper, means for detachably securing one end of the paper strip to the backing strip in the region 5 of the spindle, and means for slidably retaining the paper strip upon the inner face of the backing strip to permit it to coil and uncoil therewith.

4. A blotting appliance comprising a spindle,

a backing strip attached at one of its ends to 10 said spindle and adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said spindle, a strip of blotting paper, means for detachably securing one end of the paper strip to the backing strip in the region of the spindle, and a clasp secured to the backing strip to slidably embrace and retain the paper strip against the inner face of the backing strip and to permit it to coil and uncoil therewith.

5. A blotting appliance comprising a spindle, a backing strip attached at one of its ends to said spindle and adapted to be wound upon and unwound from said spindle, a strip of blotting paper,

a longitudinally split tube detachably sleeved upon the spindle and adapted to grip one end of said paper strip to the backing strip, and means for retaining the paper strip against the inner face of the backing strip to permit it to coil and uncoil therewith.

6. A blotting appliance comprising a spindle, a sleeve rotatable upon the spindle, a backing strip attached at one end to said sleeve and adapted to wind thereon and unwind therefrom, a strip of blotting paper, a longitudinally split tube adapted to embrace'said sleeve and to grip one end of the paper strip thereto, and means for retaining the paper strip against the inner face of the backing strip.

7. A blotting appliance comprising a hollow casing, anend closure member therefor separable from one end of said casing, a spindle within the 40 casing and detachably connected at one end to said closure member, a knob fixed to the other end of said spindle, a sleeve rotatable upon the spindle, a backing strip attached at one end to said spindle, an absorbent paper strip superimposed upon the backing strip, means for detachably engaging one end of said paper strip with the sleeve, and means for detachably engaging the paper strip near its other end with the backing strip.

ARTHUR 'INGHAM BOYLE. 

